1. Field of the Invention
The present application relates to rotating shafts. In particular, the present application relates to friction dampers for rotating shafts of helicopter tail rotor drive systems.
2. Description of Related Art
Some helicopters comprise tail rotor drive systems (TRDSs) that have many subcritical shaft segments joined together by couplings. In some cases, the couplings provide slight deviation and axial offsetting of adjacent shaft segments so that the shaft assembly lies generally along a curvature. To join the many shaft segments, flanged adapters are located at the ends of the shaft segments. Hangar bearings are utilized to restrain many of the shaft segments. The flanged adapters of the shaft segments, the many couplings, and the multiple hangar bearings are undesirably heavy and costly.
There are many known ways to reduce TRDS weight and cost, however, considerable shortcomings remain.
While the system and method of the present application is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings and are herein described in detail. It should be understood, however, that the description herein of specific embodiments is not intended to limit the application to the particular embodiment disclosed, but on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the process of the present application as defined by the appended claims.